More about: 7 Best Harry Potter Stores in London
After booking and enjoying a Harry Potter tour of London, there's no better way to end this magical adventure than by visiting the Harry Potter shops in the city, where you can buy that souvenir from the saga you've been dreaming about for so long to add to your collection. Take note because there are lots of them!
1. Harry Potter Shop at Platform 9 ¾, the shop at Kings Cross Station
After booking a Harry Potter tour of London, you have to visit this shop located next to the famous Platform 9 ¾ at Kings Cross Station. So, if you forgot to pick up your potions book before catching the Hogwarts Express, you can always pop into the Kings Cross shop to buy it quickly. The idea of opening one of the Harry Potter shops in London next to platform 9 ¾ at Kings Cross station came about because of the large number of visitors who came here to see one of the London locations featured in the films.
The Harry Potter trolley belongs to the shop, and the staff organize the queue so that you can take a photo of yourself pushing it onto the platform. They put a Hogwarts scarf around your neck and throw it into the air to make the moment feel more real. You can then purchase a professional-style photograph.
The interior design of the Harry Potter store at Kings Cross is inspired by Ollivander's shop, which appears in the novels. The decor is amazing! This store has an exclusive collection created just for it that you won't find in any of the other Harry Potter stores in London. All the more reason to come here!
Useful information
- Address: Euston Rd, London N1 9AL, United Kingdom.
- How to get there: By subway, Circle, Northern, Piccadilly, and Victoria lines.
2. House of Minalima, an art gallery and magical shop
In Soho, you'll find another of London's coolest Harry Potter shops, known as House of Minalima. It is an art gallery specializing in graphic design, whose main exhibition focuses on the magical world of Hogwarts.
Artists Eduardo Lima and Miraphora Mira worked on the films in the series and were responsible for designing many of the elements that appeared on the big screen, such as the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, the covers of the Daily Prophet, and the chocolate frogs, among others. An ideal visit after taking the bus tour of the Harry Potter locations.
I recommend visiting House of Minalima on a weekday to take a closer look at the free Harry Potter exhibition (it is usually crowded on weekends) and then take advantage of the visit to buy a unique souvenir designed by these artists about the magical universe of the young wizard.
Useful information
- Address: 157 Wardour St, London W1F 8WQ, United Kingdom.
- How to get there: By subway, Piccadilly Circus station, Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines.
3. House of Spells, a shop selling fantasy souvenirs
Also in Soho, you can visit another of London's most fascinating Harry Potter shops: House of Spells. Its decor and atmosphere are very much in line with the shops that appear in the wizard's films, so stepping inside feels like entering one of the famous Diagon Alley shops. It's amazing!
As for the products sold at House of Spells, you can find all kinds of things related to the Harry Potter universe (wands, magic books, uniforms, character figurines, sweets, toys, and much more), as well as other fantasy sagas such as Game of Thrones, Frozen, Star Wars, and The Lord of the Rings, among many others.
If you love collecting items related to your favorite books and movies, you should definitely stop by House of Spells after enjoying the Harry Potter location tour. Between one thing and another, you'll spend hours there! You'll find it a few minutes' walk from Leicester Square underground station.
Useful information
- Address: 69-71 Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H 0NE, United Kingdom.
- How to get there: By subway, Leicester Square station, Northern and Piccadilly lines.
4. The official Harry Potter store and a visit to Warner Bros. Studios
One of the most enjoyable experiences you can have in London as a true Potterhead is booking tickets to Warner Bros. Studio Park: The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. It's amazing! During your visit to Warner Bros. Studios, you can visit several different shops where you can buy souvenirs related to the wizarding world:
- The Studio Store: where you'll find personalized T-shirts, Hogwarts scarves and uniforms, replica wands, Quidditch flags, stuffed animals, and more.
- The Forbidden Forest Shop: where you can buy products related to this mysterious place at Hogwarts and the creepy creatures that inhabited it.
- The Railway Shop: where I recommend buying some magical treats such as chocolate frogs, licorice wands, or mint toads to eat on the trip back to London.
Visiting the official shops at Harry Potter Studios is part of the experience itself. They are perfectly themed and you can find lots of original products that are not available in other stores. For example, in addition to typical Harry Potter merchandise, the official Warner Bros. Studios store also sells beautiful artwork and exclusive editions for collectors looking for a more special and unique souvenir.
In my opinion, it's a fabulous store to expand your Harry Potter collection and buy gifts, given its wide variety of items. However, to access this place, you must have a ticket to Harry Potter Studios Park, and if you don't plan your trip well in advance, it's not easy to get them because demand is very high and tickets fly away like Hedwig. In the post on reselling Harry Potter tickets in London, I explain what you can do to get official tickets with all the guarantees.
Useful information
- Address: Studio Tour Dr, Leavesden, Watford WD25 7LR, United Kingdom.
- How to get there: By train, Watford Junction station.
5. Harry Potter's Primark in London
Although almost all Primark stores around the world have a small section dedicated to the Harry Potter universe, the Oxford Street store has become one of the world's leading unofficial shops for the saga.
Unlike the company's other shopping centers, the Primark on Oxford Street has a huge section full of products based on J.K. Rowling's novels. After booking a Harry Potter tour of London, you'll be itching to visit and find almost everything you could possibly want. From sneakers, stuffed animals, and backpacks to stationery, home goods, and Hogwarts-inspired clothing.
Primark is probably one of the best Harry Potter shops in London for buying souvenirs at very affordable prices. The downside is that, as it is not an official supplier, some of the product designs could be improved. But who cares when you can take home those cool Gryffindor pajamas for so little money?
Useful information
- Address: 14-28 Oxford St, London W1D 1AU, United Kingdom.
- How to get there: By subway, Tottenham Court Road station, Central and Northern lines.
6. Hamleys toy store
This toy store on Regent's Street is a real institution in the city, being one of the oldest, with a whopping 250 years of history. It is a multi-story store where you can admire thousands of toys and an exclusive area dedicated to the Harry Potter saga. You will love Hamleys so much that you won't want to leave!
After enjoying the Harry Potter tour, I recommend you take a look around the toy store, as there are some very interesting items. But especially the section dedicated to the young wizard, as there are lots of tempting items on display on the shelves. From the protagonist's glasses and wand, the golden snitch, Tom Riddle's diary, and the Marauder's Map to board games, mugs, stuffed animals, and key chains inspired by Hogwarts.
Whether it's because it's one of the oldest toy stores in the city or because you're a big fan of the Harry Potter saga, Hamleys is always worth a visit. Especially if you're traveling to London with your family, because the kids will have a blast in such a large toy store. It's an outing they'll really enjoy!
Useful information
- Address: 188-196 Regent St., London W1B 5BT, United Kingdom.
- How to get there: By subway, Piccadilly Circus station, Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines.
7. The Lego store
No list of Harry Potter shops in London would be complete without the Lego store in Leicester Square. It's the largest in the world! Take advantage and stop by after enjoying your ticket to Harry Potter Studios Park.
Just admiring the Lego constructions in the store is worth the visit, but they also have a large section dedicated to the magical universe created by author J.K. Rowling with the brand's own touch.
In addition to being able to buy the castle and the Hogwarts Express, Hagrid's hut, Diagon Alley, and the Astronomy Tower, among other toys from the Harry Potter collection, you can also see replicas of some of London's most iconic tourist attractions, such as the typical red telephone box, Big Ben, and a subway car. It will be difficult to leave here with just one toy because they are all so cool!
Useful information
- Address: 3 Swiss Ct, London W1D 6AP, United Kingdom.
- How to get there: By subway, Leicester Square station, Northern and Piccadilly lines.